Shoe-tree.



J. G. GARDNER.

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Patented Das. 5, 12H6.

JOHN G. GARDNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHOE-TREE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Application filed January 29, 1916. Serial N o. 75,017.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN Gr. GARDNER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe- Trees, of which the following is a specification.

.ln the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made, and which form a part of this specification, Figure 1, is a side elevation of my new and improved shoe-tree, as it appears when placed in a shoe or slipper. Fig. 2, is a plan view of the tree and; Fig. 3, is a side elevation.

My invention, while properly termed a shoe tree, and which may be used for shoes, is more especially designed for slippers, wherein light pressure is suicient to reform and retain the original shape'of its vamp and also the heel or counter, without danger of over straining or bulging either. Advantage is also gained by my invention in cheapness of manufacture, durability, and in the action and manipulation of the pressure adjustment.

En the drawings 2 designates the forepart, 3- the heel or counter member and 4, the spring connection or adjuster. The forepart 2, may be made of papier mch, wood or of any other suitable material and is made of proper size and shape to enter the Vvamp of a shoe or slipper. At the center of its back or blunt end is formed a slot 5. In this slot is hinged on a metal pin 6, the connector 7, which is a plate of stiff metal, having a twist 8, made in it, to form the vertical end 9 and the horizontal end 10. To this latter is rigidly fastened, preferably by rivets, the front end of the adjuster 4, which is a strip of spring metal held flatwise and of sufficient power, when bent, to reform the vamp of a shoe or slipper after having been worn and to retain they shape ofthe vamp and also the counter of the shoe or slipper. The rear end of the adjuster 4, is bent at 12, to form an offset or sloping heel late 13, on which the heel or counter memer 3, is secured. This counter member may be made of papier mch, wood or other suitable material and is rounded and tapered at its outer surface as shown,to it the counter of the shoe or slipper and being mounted on the downwardly sloping end of the adjuster is, when put in place automatically pressed backward againstthe counter by the action of the springand the action and power'of the spring Vare thus properly applied to the counter so as not to deformV it, but to vreform it into its proper and original shape.

By making the bend 12 in the spring adjuster, a set, or spring limit is formed at that point so that the heel plate 13 becomes independent of the spring and no spring action takes place back of it, and no matter whether the curve of the spring in front of it stands at a greater or less radius to meet the requirements of different lengths of slippers the heel member remains in the same relative position tothe counter of the shoe; in other words the heel member is not tilted forward or back by the lifting or lowering of the crest of the spring adjuster but is moved back and forth without any curvilinear action thus always insuring a proper fit and pressure of the heel member against the counter of the slipper.

Having thus described myinvention, what VI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A shoe tree comprising a flat spring adjuster having a bend therein forming a sloping heel plate,a heel member secured to the free end of said heel plate, a fore part having a vertical slot formed therein and a connector having a vertical front end hinged in said slot and a horizontal rear end to which the front end of the spring adjuster is secured, substantially as described.

JOHN G. GARDNER.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH B. MORGAN, H. A. WEST.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the. .Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

